The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-10

onidas Jones and gin him twenty-five
cents, but it amt like this. Must a
cost sight of money. How much,
now?"
81 don't know" Flora answered,
nervously. cannot tell. 1t was
present"
Judith Ann" sharply rebuked her
mother, ego and sit down and leave
the young woman in peace. You ha'nt
no more manners than a porkypine. l
yum, Pm astonished at you"
And, reluctantly enough, Judith Ann
obeyed. But Flora could not but OBJ
serve that she never took her eyes off
the tempting pendant of golden links.
Her heart throbbed uneasily. She had
heard of defenseless travellers robbed
and murdered for less valuable booty
than this in just such solitary places.
Her head dropped, a dizzy sickness
overspread her heart.
" Sleepy, / guess, amt you?' said
the old woman, kindly; L" want to go to
bed?"
Flora rose eagerly. Anything but
sitting here, the mute, miserable target
for eight pair of eyes.
81 should be glad to retire." she
| Sdlu, TdIneT ldluJly.
Lighting a talow candle at the fire,
the old woman led the way up wooden
staircase, so steep that ladder would
have been quite as good, and thence to
a little room under the caves, whose
upholstered walls and rows of smoky
looking beams overhead struck Flora
unpleasantly.
"There amt no better feather bed in
all the country" said the old woman,
setting down the light on red chest,
which stood against the wall. "And /
guess you are tired enough to sleep
pretty well, amt your"
So she left her, and Flora found her.
self alone at last
She rose to bolt the door, but all the
fastening it boosted was a clumsy iron
latch. With the energy and strength
of desperation she dragged the chest
across the floor and barricaded the en-
trance with it. And then, woman-like,
she sat down and began to cry.
81 can never sleep wink" she
sobbed. 81 will not even undress,
for am sure this is no other than a
den of robbers"
And she lay down on the outside of
the bed listening, with nervous trepida-
ton, to every sound she heard
But all was quiet and peaceful. The
wind sighed softly through the tops of
the tall trees. The summer insects
kept up their clamorous concert, and
from the distant woods a whip-poor-
will uttered her lonely plant. Uncon-
sciously the deep peace of the scene
began to enter into Flora's excited
temperament, and ere she knew it she
was fast asleep.
She was aroused at last by the sound
of voices, and, sitting up on the bed
with start, she listened intensely
"Don't be a fool, Eben," the old
woman's cracked accents were uttering.
cts done in minute"
It's job l hain't no fancy for,"
was the gruff answer.
Nights the time, when all is asleep
and quiet" urged the old crone. "One
good blow, and its done. Come! start
quick. You'll wake the gal, if you ain It
careful"
Come on, then"
The stealthy footsteps advanced
nearer and nearer to her room. Flora
had sprung to her feet, and stood there
pale and palpitating; and, as there was
a momentary pause in front of the
door, she dragged away the chest, burst
open the latch and flew screaming past
the old woman and her tall, shock
} headed coadiutor down stairs.
Half dozen men lay in different at
titudes of repose on the floor around
the smoldering embers of the nearly
, dead fire. They all started up with
one accord when she burst in among
, them, white and wild
, "Eh what's the matter?" calculated
Joseph Kip, rubbing his red hair fran
tically, as he sprang to his feet, staring
around.
, "Help me- Protect mel" shrieked
poor Flora. "They are going to muir.
} der me-that old woman and the hid
eous man. heard them say so. Oh,
: help! help! for heavens sake!"
, " Murder you'll" roared the man
, called Eben, who had by this time
, strided down the stairs. No SIGH
| thing. / was only agoin' to knock
. down the wasps' nest for Granny Hop
kins, just under the garnet roof"
= "There's that plaguey wasps' nest
{ that has troubled me all summer
croaked old Mrs. Hopkins. Dear heart
dilNC, IhClC AIN I hopouJ SOluS W idl III
2 you, child. We amt none of us robber:
nor murderers as | know Of"
7 And Flora Montcalm, MORALLY terri
fed though she had been, could moi
r help joining in the laugh that burst
, from all the swarthy giants around the
: fireplace.
" / am sorry" she faltered, hiding
l her face in her hands; "but l was
. dreadfully frightened"
e 81 guess you're city gall" said the
, old woman, kindly patting her shoulder
r Go back to bed now and get goot
a nights rest, and Wen leave the wasps
: nest till some other time"
j And Flora Montcalm obeyed.
i She rewarded the honest farm folks
well the next day and left gay game
. ring on Judith AIMS red, stumpy finger
G and when at last she reached the Gothic
P cottage among the Adirondacks sh,
had mirthful tale to tell of her adven
= ture at the den of robbers. -Erchange